SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Paul Markovich, president and chief executive officer of Blue Shield of California, has been elected chairman of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) Board of Directors. BCBSA is comprised of the 36 independent, community-based and locally operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield (BCBS) companies that together cover nearly 105 million individuals — one in three Americans.
As chairman, Markovich will assume leadership of BCBSA’s governing body and will preside over quarterly meetings of the Association’s board of directors. This governing body adopts policies applicable to the nation’s Blue Cross and Blue Shield (BCBS) companies and provides strategic guidance and oversight for the Association.
Markovich, who took the helm of Blue Shield of California in 2013, has led the company through a period of growth and diversification. During his tenure, the company has increased the number of Californians it serves from 3.3 million to four million and has diversified its business with an acquisition that brought the company into California’s Medicaid market.
Under Markovich’s leadership, Blue Shield also played a key role in forming Manifest MedEx, California’s largest health information exchange, to make it easier for providers and insurers to collaborate on patient care by creating integrated, useful medical records. In addition, Blue Shield has increased the number of patient-focused care programs with medical providers and now boasts 42 accountable care organizations across California.
“Paul’s record as an innovator and his expertise in using medical data to help improve the health care delivery system are assets not only for Blue Shield members, but for The Blues® nationwide,” said Scott P. Serota, president and chief executive officer of BCBSA. “Under Paul’s leadership, members nationwide will continue to experience the security and stability they’ve come to expect from their Blue Cross and Blue Shield coverage.”
As a member of the BCBSA Board of Directors, Markovich was chairman of its Data Board and has served on its Brand Enhancement and Protection Committee. He also serves on the board of directors of America’s Health Insurance Plans and the California Association of Health Plans.
“It’s an honor to lead the BCBSA Board during this time of unprecedented change as we collectively work to provide access to high-quality, affordable healthcare coverage for all Americans,” Markovich said.
BCBSA is headquartered in Chicago with an additional office in Washington, D.C. Markovich will serve as its chairman until the annual BCBSA board of directors meeting in November 2018.
About Blue Shield of California
Blue Shield of California, an independent member of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, is a nonprofit health plan with 4 million members, 6,800 employees and more than $17 billion in annual revenue. Founded in 1939 and headquartered in San Francisco, Blue Shield of California and its affiliates provide health, dental, vision, Medicaid and Medicare health care service plans in California. The company’s mission is to ensure all Californians have access to high-quality care at an affordable price. Blue Shield has contributed more than $450 million to the Blue Shield of California Foundation since 2002. Contact your local agent or broker about Blue Shield of California products and services, or visit www.blueshieldca.com.
About Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association
The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association is a national federation of 36 independent, community-based and locally operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies that collectively provide health care coverage for one in three Americans. BCBSA provides health care insights through The Health of America Report series and the national BCBS Health Indexsm. For more information on BCBSA and its member companies, please visit BCBS.com. We also encourage you to connect with us on Facebook, check out our videos on YouTube, follow us on Twitter and check out our blog.
